A Doctor Without Borders [Healer | Slow-Burn | Medical Fantasy]

He let out a long, contented sigh as he reclined against the pillows. The cool night air drifted through the window, carrying the scent of pine and cedar. On another day, he would have admired the view from his castle, but tonight, something more beautiful had drawn his attention.

"Have I pleased you, my Pack Lord?" Her voice carried a hint of smugness beneath its sweetness.

Such a silly question. She knew exactly the effect she had on him.

He turned his head to study her, giving her a measured smile. He took in her beauty and her supple assets, partly obscured by her raven hair as it cascaded down past her bare shoulders. His gaze roved, but, as always, it lingered on her face. Soft, angelic, the desire of many, yet completely belying her true nature. Of course, she hid that well. It had taken quite some time to learn her true nature. She had obscured it skillfully. To this day, he couldn't be sure if he had unearthed the truth through his skill in reading people or her realization that he would value a woman of her talents. Most men would fear a woman with her Potentials, much less one with the intelligence and cunning to utilize them. Those men were fools. They threw away a tool of immense value. He would take the risk and revel in the rewards.

He ran a hand along her ample curves. "Do you have to ask?"

"A woman likes to hear these things."

"A woman of your intelligence already knows the truth."

"Hmph. I think it's just the opposite. We can see so many ways to justify our concerns, and as you know, such wisdom comes with time, which is the one thing any beauty fears. So how can I not worry, especially when I see all the beautiful young women who also share your bed?" She ran a finger down his muscled chest. "So tell me, my Alfa, did I please you?"

He would not rise to her bait. Jealousy didn't drive her question, not when everyone knew that she outclassed all the other women who shared his bed. However, sometimes you did need to appease a woman's vanity. "Very much, my dear."

He propped himself up on one elbow. "Not to sully this time, but you know that I must leave shortly. Tell me what has happened in my absence."

She feigned frustration. "If we must, though if the rumors I hear are true, you have dealt with the major issue—even if the method was a bit blunt."

He didn't hide the cruel smile that spread across his face. "Sometimes a message needs to be sent."

Her fingers danced along his skin. "Oh, I don't disagree."

"I hoped you would not." Some of their more passionate evenings had been after particularly vicious power plays. This hadn't ranked high on that list. He could have handled it more gracefully, but his frustration had been too high. He had raced north after getting her missive, pushing his elite guard to their limits by running night and day to make it in time. Even then, it had been too close. However, the results spoke for themselves.

Even hours later, the confused faces of his knezate's vassals remained sharp in his memory. He still savored their surprised expressions as he, not his most powerful vassal, walked through the door. They had questions, but he answered them all with the simple act of throwing the still-dripping, severed head of the rebellious leader across the table. He hadn't needed to say anything else as he walked out the door. They understood. Their downcast gaze and bowed head told him everything. He had squashed any seeds of rebellion by making clear the cost of betrayal. When he returned, he would have his Tenevozh check on those whose posture didn't show complete submission.

Though effective, he had to admit that it was messier than he had wanted. He had so little time here, and his favorite had standards. He needed to be presentable to see—and more importantly, enjoy the company of—the reason he still ruled his knezate with so little bloodshed.

"Did you hear of any other concerns?"

"No, my Alfa. My assets have spoken with wives and servants. Some have even found their way into your vassals' beds. All remain content or submissive, especially after your generosity with your mates. And don't worry, they were none of your favorites. All your bets continue to pay off."

Including you, though that thought remained unspoken.

Though she would never speak it aloud, she reveled in downplaying her role, pretending to be the simple creature that so many of the women who warmed his bed were. Yet, he knew her too well to see all of that as nothing more than a well-worn facade—a gorgeous one, but a front nonetheless.

Take the expedition that drew him away from this warm bed. It would have never come to be without her. While he had spearheaded it, she had hinted at its feasibility and laid the groundwork for its acceptance. In fact, so much of his success came from her machinations. Some would say too much, but those Volki had bowed or were dead.

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While he had men that he trusted in his vassals' guards, they could only provide so much information. However, the wives, servants, and bed partners—most recruited by the woman nestled against him—were far better tools. These spies ferreted out far more information on his enemies and allies, often hinting at things to come far before his other assets had heard of it.

He pulled her in close, breathing her in. By the gods, how he enjoyed her. "Good. There are, unfortunately, more issues popping up at the mining site. I will likely need to recruit more men to bolster our losses."

She pushed away from him, frowning. "Something else happening?"

"It is hard to say. Attacks have increased. And there has been talk that needed redirecting. Sometimes more forcefully than others. My Tenevozh can be a bit aggressive at times."

She shook her head but said nothing. Those two had been at odds from the beginning. There was no person more loyal to him than his Tenevozh. He excelled at his job, which made him well-suited to see through her mask. Both knew how dangerous the other could be in the right situation, which made them perfect checks to each other.

"I think you have room to pull. The bounty you bring draws jealousy and desire amongst the young."

The Alfa chuckled. "That was just a taste, my dear."

Her fingers paused. "Oh?"

"Yes. The land is rich with Aether. Those who come with will be rewarded. It may not be enough to convince the skilled warriors to trade a sword for a pickaxe, but even then, I could use some Molodvolk as guards. We have enough Boyevolk to run herd on them. If the Molodvolk can survive their first taste of battle, they will return well-blooded."

"As it should be."

"Anything else I need to do before I leave tonight?"

"A few of your other women will need your attention. They are growing jealous, and tonight won't help."

"How so?"

She fluttered her eyes at him. "You favor me by calling me straight to your bed as soon as you return."

"Should I have not?"

She slapped him playfully. "No, but you inflame their envy. You know how we women can get. But the solution is simple. Make a show of throwing me out, and then go fill their bellies with another child. That will keep them content."

"You ask so much of me."

Once more, they returned to the game between them, though it had continued to tilt in his favor. When she had first caught his eye, she had been nothing more than a dangerous dalliance. He reveled in the challenge of wooing her into his bed right under the nose of their Alfa. However, over time, he had come to learn why his Alfa had favored her. Nothing was more intoxicating than finding a woman with such a sultry nature hiding behind such an innocent visage.

Looking back now, he had severely underestimated her, but even at that time, he had quickly noticed a pattern. Much of his meteoric ascension in the ranks stemmed from a few errant "slips of the tongue" after long nights of vigorous escapades. Perhaps, the lack of subtlety had been a test in itself. She could have ended him with just a single word to their Alfa. Yet she never had. As much as it had stung to attribute his success to another, he never confronted her. Instead, he had looked into her past.

He found nothing but rumors. Most couldn't believe she had a lascivious bone in her body. He trusted his gut and tasked the man who became his Tenevozh to look into her, and as always, he had delivered.

She hailed from the deep north, leaving a small pack behind to work her way up the ranks as a Læknir. She was a rarity, having the Potentials and skill to be a good [Healer], but far too many of her seniors saw her as nothing more than a vessel for strong sires. A pity, for the Volk could always use more [Healers]. However, those fools' loss turned into his gain.

He gave her what she craved, not becoming a Læknir, which was a foolish dream of a youth, but power. She never had the temperament to become a Læknir. However, a Mozgvolk? If only she had been born a man…but then his bed would be cold and he would've had to end another Volk as part of his rise to power. Best she remain the dangerous beauty he could harness. He couldn't make her his Mozgvolk, but he did the next best thing, making her one in all but name. While she didn't develop strategies for his knezate's armies, she fought on her own battlefields. From behind the throne, she wielded women and lesser pack members to crush their enemies. Together, the two of them would unite the North and then push south to claim it all. He just needed her to be bound to him by more than just desire—something she continued to resist.

He shifted in bed, staring into those amber eyes. Like all men of his status, he knew the effect he had on the people around him. The lesser men felt the urge to submit; the women, naked desire. However, the woman in his bed, unlike many of her gender, had the Potentials to resist the temptation. Could he do something about it? Of course. He could bring a grizzled veteran to his knees in fear with a simple flex of his aura. However, they had come to an unspoken agreement long ago. A woman capable of helping topple Alfas was not one to be taken but earned.

So they continued to play their game, but unlike when his youth, the odds now favored him. She had grown too accustomed to all he provided. And what was the harm in one more indulgence?

She slid her body over to straddle him. Her raven tresses fell like a curtain, the silky strands tickling his chest with each quick breath. She bit her lip while she stared at him. There were hints of calculation in her eyes as she fought her urges, but the telltale signs—the dilation of her pupils, the slight flush in her cheeks, the minute surge of Energy—all pointed to one thing: she was losing this battle.

He didn't move. After all, it was her choice. It had been for some time. He had long ago started slowly suppressing his aura when with her, until only leaving the barest hint to let her believe one remained. She thought herself so strong and so smart—and she was both—but she was still blind in the one way that mattered. She resisted her true role, but she was already living it in all but name.

She spoke not a word, but he still smiled. Her body had betrayed her in more ways than one. At his tier, she had no hope of hiding her desire from his nose. She would gamble again, like she had gambled on him so many years ago. Would she win this one? They would see. Nothing was foolproof. And in this, he could be patient; where was the fun in a game without a bit of intrigue? Still, he already knew the ending. She would be his. Entirely. No one else could compare to him.